Andrew Getty, one of their heirs to the Getty oil fortune, died yesterday at the age of 47 in his Los Angeles mansion, news reports said.
The deceased was a grandson of Jean Paul Getty (1892-1976), founder of Getty Oil, who used his wealth to become one of the biggest art collectors of his era.
Andrew Getty was a member of the Getty Foundation and one of seven heirs to the USD 2.1 billion that the magazine Forbes says his family is worth.
His parents, Ann and Gordon, asked for privacy as they endure this difficult time, according to a statement published in the Los Angeles Times.
A spokesman for the Los Angeles county coroner's office said they would release the name of the victim and the cause of death, which so far has not been disclosed, today.
Andrew Smith of the Los Angeles Police Department told the LA Times that at this stage there was no indication of foul play in Getty's death.
Smith said police were questioning a woman who was in the mansion at the time of the death.
